“That is data that we would be very happy to share with Scotland, and we can talk about it with Mr. Salmond as well,” Ms. Marois told the Herald.

The precise contents of the files remain a mystery, but it seems the mere mention of them was enough to send Mr. Salmond running. Judging from the reception given Ms. Marois in Edinburgh, Scottish separatists must think losing referendums is contagious.

The meeting that was to be the public highlight of Ms. Marois’ weeklong European trip fizzled as Mr. Salmond, leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), chose not to be seen in public with his fellow separatist from Quebec and declined to meet the press afterward.

“Unlike previous visits from foreign government leaders, no TV cameras were allowed to record the occasion,” the BBC noted. Instead, an official photo of the leaders was distributed.

The joint communiqué issued afterward was pure pablum. After listing areas in which the two governments share common goals – international trade, renewable energy, arts festivals – it concluded:

“Both leaders also talked about the political situation in their respective jurisdictions, and agreed that their destinies are a matter for the people of Scotland and Quebec to decide.”

The statement said Ms. Marois was in Scotland “en route” from Davos, Switzerland, as if Edinburgh was just a normal stop on the way home from Europe. But it was obvious that what drew her to Scotland was the fact its parliament is controlled by Mr. Salmond’s SNP and is preparing for a referendum on independence next year.

For Ms. Marois, who leads a minority government and has seen support for sovereignty wane, it seemed a perfect opportunity to show Quebec separatists are part of a broader international movement. Before leaving last week, she told reporters in Quebec City Scotland’s initiative proves that seeking independence is “a very modern idea.”

In the past, the channels of communication have been open between Quebec and Scottish separatists, but as the Scottish vote approaches, there is little for the Scots to gain by associating with the Parti Québécois.

For one thing, Quebec sovereigntists have lost two referendums, in 1980 and 1995, yet continue to work toward holding another vote. In Britain, where Prime Minister David Cameron has accused Scotland’s nationalists of seeking a “neverendum,” the Quebec example of decades of unresolved bickering is hardly enticing.

Mr. Salmond also has to guard against offending Canada’s federal government. In the event of a Yes victory in 2014, an independent Scotland would seek international recognition, and it is Ottawa, not Quebec City, that can offer that.

François Legault, leader of the opposition Coalition Avenir Québec, denounced the Premier’s trip as a waste of time and money.

“Ms. Marois decided to got to Scotland put on a show about sovereignty and a referendum, and now the show has flopped because the First Minister of Scotland decided he did not want to be seen in Ms. Marois’ presence,” he said in Quebec City.

He urged Ms. Marois to focus on attracting foreign investment to Quebec instead of trying to generate enthusiasm for sovereignty.

The only economic news resulting from Ms. Marois three days in Britain was minor: a special-effects company announced Monday in London that it will create 200 jobs in Montreal over the next three years.

The Quebec Premier met reporters Tuesday evening and insisted her trip to Scotland had indeed been historic. “When you say historic, to me it was, because it is the first time this meeting was held, so together we are writing a page of history,” she said.

By that loose definition, she will be making a lot of history during her time in office. But it will not necessarily be the kind her sovereigntist supporters dream of, and her Scottish escapade did nothing to bring that date closer.